Retaining ring dispensing and applying means



June 23, 1964 H. ERDMANN 3,137,932

RETAINING RING DISPENSING AND APPLYING MEANS Original Filed Nov. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r"fi l 5 1 27 15 I: 5 .-;1a 55 2a 82 50L 28a. 5 L 5 82 ..17 r I 95 16 r g 23 a5 55 a g 5 :76

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ATTORNEY H. ERDMANN June 23, 1964 RETAINING RING DISPENSING AND APPLYING MEANS Original Filed Nov. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR /7/\, 5 EPDM/V/V/V,

jg BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,137,932 RETAINENG RING DISPENSING AND APPLYING MEANS Hans Erdmann, Maplewood, N.J., assignor to Waldes Kohinoor, Inc, Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application Nov. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 69,475, new Patent No. 3,101,528, dated Aug. 27, 1963. Divided and this application Mar. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 263,387

12 Claims. (Cl. 2)211) This invention relates to improvements in retaining ring dispensing and applying means, and more particularly to an improved power-operated magazine dispenser and applicator (sometimes also called a power-operated magazine applicator) for external split or nearly-closed retaining rings which are adapted to provide artificial shoulders for locating machine parts such as pinions, bearing races, etc. on shafts, spindles and the like, the present application for Letters Patent thereon being a division of my earlier application Serial No. 69,475, filed November 15, 1960, now Patent No. 3,101,528, dated August 27, 1963.

Stated broadly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a power-operated magazine-type dispenser and applicator for external split retaining rings which is simple and durable in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, yet very reliable and efficient in its operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a magazine-type dispenser and applicator for external split retaining means which incorporates simple yet highly effective means for automatically effecting one-by-one withdrawal of the rings to be assembled from a stack or column of such rings, and the controlled delivery of the so-withdrawn rings to combined or associated ring-applying means.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a magazine-type dispenser and applicator for external split retaining rings which is characterized by practical and dependable power-operated means for effecting one-by-one withdrawal of the rings to be assembled from a stack or column of such rings, the delivery thereof to combined or associated ring-applying means, and finally, the application or assembly of said rings on shafts, spindles and the like positioned to receive same.

A more particular object of the invention is the provision of a power-operated magazine-type dispenser and applicator for split external retaining rings, wherein a plurality of such rings are arranged in stack or column formation on a table or shelf-like member having a ring drop-through opening of size and configuration corresponding substantially to that of said rings but which is offset a small distance laterally from the lowermost ring of the column whereby to form an arcuate ledge on which said ring and all rings above same are normally supported along only an outer peripheral portion thereof and further'incorporating power-operated means for shifting the lowermost ring of the column laterally to a position in which it aligns with and thereupon proceeds to drop through said opening, and thereupon for applying said ring on a shaft or spindle positioned to receive it.

The above and other objects and features of advantage of a power-operated split external retaining ring dispensing and applying means according to the present invention will appear from the following detailed description,

in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred physical embodiment thereof, in which- FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are front elevational views, partly in section, of a power-operated or automatic-type ring dispensing and applying means according to the invention, said ,views illustrating the parts of the dispenser and apice plying means in the various positions which they assume in three successive stages of a ring assembly operation;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the dispensing and applying tool shown in the preceding figures, with the parts thereof in the position of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are transverse sections taken on lines 5-5 of FIG. 2 and 6-6 of FIG. 3, respectively.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIGS. 16 inclusive, reference numeral 10 designates an upright standard or frame member to which the dispenser and the power-operating means therefor is affixed, the latter comprising a double-acting air (or hydraulic) cylinder 11, to whose opposite ends pressure fluid from a suitable source is alternately supplied and exhausted via inlet and exhaust ports designated 12, 13, under the control of a conventional four-way valve (not shown). Reciprocable within the cylinder is a piston 14 operating a piston rod 15 whose lower end is affixed (as by screw-threading) to the upper end of a coaxially related plunger 16 guided in its reciprocatory movement in a guide block 17. Illustratively, the lower end of the plunger 16 is formed tubular as at 18, its tubular wall having thickness corresponding substantially to the radial Width of the retaining rings to be assembled and inner diameter corresponding to or only slightly exceeding the inner-edge diameter of said rings, and thus the lower end edge of the plunger is enabled to make face engagement with a retaining ring disposed in the path of its lowering movement, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Also secured to the frame member 10 in laterally spaced, parallel relation to the coaxially related cylinder 11 and plunger 18, as by means of an angled bracket 19a, is a stack rod 19 carrying throughout substantially its entire axial length a thin, radially projecting blade 20 which is adapted to extend outwardly through the gap between the free ends of the plurality of retaining rings mounted on the stack rod. Thus, said stack rod and its blade 29 is adapted to mount a plurality of split external retaining rings R to be dispensed in a vertical column whose rings are accurately aligned by said blade 20.

Below the stack rod 19, the upright frame member 10 mounts a horizontal table or shelf member 21, whose upper surface, in conjunction with side members 22a, defines a slideway for a slide 22 mounted for reciprocatory travel therein. Slide 22 is held in its normal or retracted position as by means of a spring 23 reactive between the blind inner end of a hole 24 provided therefor in the relatively outer side edge of said table and a down-bent flange 25 on the free or outer end of the slide 22. The slide has thickness corresponding to the axial thickness of one of the rings R carried by the stackrod, and it is further provided with a ring opening 26 sized and configured substantially to the size and configuration of the outer edge of said retaining rings. When the slide 22 is in its retracted position, in which it is shown in FIG. 1, said opening 26 directly underlies the stack rod 19 and thus accommodates the lowermost ring of the ring column disposed on the stackrod. To permit the slide to partake of its reciprocatory travel beneath the stackrod, the latter terminates at its lower end at a level which is just above the upper face line of said slide, and thus it will be seen that both the slide and the ring R contained in the ring opening 26 thereof may move sidewardly with respect to the stackrod 19.-

At its inner end, the slide 22 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced upright lugs 27, 28 which together in effect define a socket in which'is received the lower roughly ball-shaped end 30a of the generally upright arm 38 of a double-armed or bellcrankrlever 31 pivoted to the support plate 10 as at 32 for swinging movement relative thereto. The other arm 33 of said lever extends generally horizontally into the path of upward movement 3 of the plunger 16 and terminates in a finger 33a adapted to be engaged by the upper end of said plunger in the uppermost position of the latter, as is best seen in FIG. 2.

The aforesaid table or shelf 21 mounting the slide 22 is provided with a ring drop-through opening 34, i.e. an opening of the size and configuration as will permit said lowermost ring of the ring column to drop through the same when said ring is aligned therewith. However, it is a feature of the invention that said drop-through opening 34 is offset a small distance laterally (to the right) from the slide opening 26 in the normal position of the latter, and similarly from the lower end of the stack rod 19. Accordingly, assuming the slide to be positioned in its normal or retracted position in which it is shown in FIG. 1, that portion of the upper surface of the table or shelf 21 (designated 35 in FIGS. 1 and 3) which bounds the drop-through opening 34 and is exposed by the slide opening 26 provides a supporting rim or ledge on which a portion of the outer perimeter of the lowermost ring of the column is engageable and thus the ledge supports said ring and hence the entire ring column. However, when the slide 22 is shifted in rightwise direction the amount such that its ring opening 26 registers with the drop-through opening 34 in the table or shelf 21, said lowermost ring is brought into registry with the drop-through opening, whereupon it is free to and will drop by gravity through said opening. This inward movement of the slide 22 also brings the slide to a position in which its ring opening 26 is now disposed out of register with the stack rod and the column of rings maintained thereon. Accordingly, in the inner position of the slide 22 (see FIG. 2), the slide functions as a support for the column of rings disposed on the stack rod 19.

Extending into the drop-through opening 34 from beneath is the upper end of an inclined rail-form ring chute 36 having a ring orienting blade 37 corresponding to the stackrod blade 20. Preferably, the chute 36 is supported in operative position (see FIG. 6) by a block 38 secured in inclined relation to the up-right frame member below the ring table 21, the arrangement and disposition of the chute being such that it is operative to catch, i.e. be ringed by, the ring dropping through the opening 34 and then to guide said ring in a downwardly inclined path on to the upper end of an upright frustoconical spreading head or mandrel 39 operatively con nected to the lower end of said chute and being disposed coaxial with and in the path of movement of the lower end of the plunger end 18. Rather than being rigidly connected to the lower end of the chute 36, the mandrel 39 preferably has an axially yieldable connection therewith comprising a rod or pin 46 affixed to and extending downwardly from the end of the chute and whose lower end projects axially through the mandrel which as seen in FIG. 2 is formed with an elongated bore. At its lowermost end, said rod 40 mounts a spring-retaining washer 41 and contained within the bore of the mandrel and reactive between its blind end and said washer is a coil spring 42 normally maintained partly compressed. Thus the mandrel is normally held against the lower end of the chute 36 as in FIG. 2, but it may move axially downwardly therefrom for a limited distance, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. This axial extensibility and retractibility of the mandrel is of advantage in automatically adjusting the tool as a whole to different lengths of shafts and/or the shaft fixtures used in securing the shafts in position to receive a retaining ring from the mandrel.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ring-spreading mandrel 39 has an upper-end diameter which is somewhat less than the unstressed inner-edge diameter of the rings to be assembled and a lower-end diameter substantially equaling that of the shafts or pins on which the rings are to be assembled. Thus, a ring dropping on to the upper end of the spreading mandrel from the chute 36 is positioned thereon in readiness to be spread by its axial movement along said mandrel to an inner diameter enabling it to be readily shifted over the end of the grooved shaft on which it is to be assembled and thereupon pushed axially along said shaft to the plane of its groove, whereupon it will spring-seat itself in said groove. As will hereinafter appear, progressive axial movement of the ring along the mandrel and shaft end is effected by the tubular end 13 (acting as a push head) of the plunger 16 being actuated downwardly over the mandrel, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 1, respectively. To permit of this push-head movement which would otherwise be impeded by the chute 36, the tubular push head is provided with an axial slot 18a in its side wall portion in line with said chute, the action thereof in accommodating the chute being also seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

While it is believed that the functioning of the poweroperated combined ring dispenser and applying tool or apparatus as aforesaid will be clear to those skilled in the art, such is briefly summarized as follows: Assuming that the tool parts are in their FIG. 1 position, in which piston 14 has just completed its downward or Working stroke and the push head end 18 of the plunger 16 has just completed a ring-assembly operation, and that accordingly the next cycle of tool operation is about to start, it will be seen that the slide 22 is in its normal or retracted position consequent to the upper end of the plunger 16 having fallen away from the finger 33 of the bellcrank lever 31, and that the ring column is being temporarily supported on the ledge surface 35 of the shelf or table 21 which surrounds the drop-through opening 34 thereof. Upon pressure air being admitted to the lower end of the power cylinder 11 through the inlet port 13 thereof, the piston 14 is actuated to its uppermost position shown in FIG. 2. During the course of this movement, the plunger 18 retracts from the spreading mandrel 39, and also the finger 33a of the bellcrank lever 33 has been engaged by the upper end of said plunger, as results in counter-clockwise movement being imparted to the bellcrank lever as in turn causes the slide 22 to move to the right. Such slide movement results in the lowermost ring of the ring column which has previously been supported on the ledge surface 35 as aforesaid moving laterally until it directly registers with the drop-through opening 34 of the shelf or shelf 21, whereupon said ring drops through said opening and thence on to the upper end of the rail-form chute 36, by which it is directed on to the upper end of the spreading mandrel 39 now fully axially contracted with respect to the pin 40 by which it is connected to said chute. Inasmuch as the plunger 16 is now in its fully raised position, the aforesaid ring is free to slide down the chute 36 without such movement being interfered with by the lower end of the plunger. Upon arriving at the upper end of the spreading mandrel 39, the ring lowers a small distance thereon, as in FIG. 2, consequent to the mandrel upper end having appreciably smaller diameter than that of the inner edge of said ring.

When the piston 11 reaches the uppermost end of its stroke, air supply to the cylinder 11 is reversed, whereupon the piston moves downwardly and imparts corresponding downward movement to the plunger 16. Just prior to the air supply being reversed as aforesaid and in any case before such plunger movement having taken place to an appreciable extent, a grooved shaft S supported, for example, in a fixture F and in whose groove G the ring now disposed on the upper end of the spreading mandrel is to be assembled, will have been moved into place beneath the mandrel 39, as is also shown in FIG. 2. During the early portion of the downward movement of the piston 14 and its plunger 16, the latter moves away from the finger 33a of the bellcrank whereupon the slide 22 returns to its normal retracted position under the bias of spring 23. Such movement brings the slide opening 26 in registry with the previously next higher ring of the column which now proceeds to lower through said opening on to the ledge 35 of the plate or shelf member 21. Thus the ring column lowers the distance corresponding ot the axial thickness of one ring on to said ledge which now supports same. Continued lowering movement of the plungers and its cylindrical end 18 acting as a push head brings the lower edge of the latter into engagement with the upper face of the ring on the spreading mandrel. Assuming the spring 42 to be a relatively light spring, such engagement first causes the spreading mandrel to lower on to the upper end of the shaft S. However, upon the resistance of the spring having been overcome, final downward movement of the plunger 16 and its push head end 18 pushes the ring downwardly over the now fixed spreading mandrel, as effects spreading thereof to an inner diameter corresponding to that of shaft diameter. By design, the stroke of the piston and plunger 16 is such as to cause the lower edge of the push head to move axially along the shaft S until the ring reaches the plane of the shaft groove G whereupon its spring-seats itself in said groove. Thereupon the cycle is completed and a new cycle corresponding to that just described begins.

Without further analysis, it will be appreciated that a power-operated magazine dispenser and applicator for split external retaining rings as illustrated and described herein satisfies the objectives of the invention as earlier set forth. However, as many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims, it is intended and to be understood that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not as limiting.

I claim:

1. A power-operated combination dispenser and applicator for split-external retaining rings comprising, in combination, stackrod supporting means, a stackrod afiixed to said means including ring-orienting means for maintaining a plurality of the retaining rings to be dispensed in accurately oriented and column-forming relationship, a reciprocable slide disposed immediately below the stack rod and having a ring-receiving opening for the endmost ring of the column which in the rest position of the slide is aligned with the stockrod thereby to receive the lowermost ring of the column, a supporting table for the slide having a ring drop-through opening therein which is offset laterally from the stackrod an amount such that the table surface extending about said opening and which is exposed by the slide opening normally supports the endmost ring and thereby all rings of the column above same, a ring-spreading mandrel operative to spread a ring received thereon to a diameter such that it may be shifted over the end of a grooved shaft for assembly thereto in response to said ring being moved axially along the mandrel, chute means operatively related to and extending between said supporting table and said mandrel for conveying a ring dropping through said drop-through opening to said mandrel, and power-operated means for effecting positive controlled movement of the slide to and from a position in which it disposes its opening directly over said drop-through opening.

2. A power-operated combination dispenser and applicator as defined in claim 1, wherein said last means includes a powered reciprocating plunger and a bellcrank lever, one arm of which is disposed in the path of the plunger so as to be rockable thereby and the other arm is connected to the slide in such manner as to convert rocking movement of said lever into reciprocatory motion of the slide.

3. A power-operated combination dispenser and applicator as defined in claim 1, wherein an end of the plunger comprises a cylindrical push head adapted to telescope said mandrel and in so doing to push a ring received thereon axially therealong in direction as to effect spreading of said ring.

4. A poweroperated dispenser and applicator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mandrel is mounted in parallel relation to and at a level below said stackrod, and said chute means is mounted in inclined relation between the under side of said table and the upper end of the mandrel.

5. A power-operated combination dispenser and applicator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plunger terminates in a cylindrical open-bottom push head having telescoping relation with said spreading mandrel and said chute means includes an inclined rail whose lower end extends into the path of movement of said push head, said push head being provided with a longitudinal slot for accommodating said lower end whereby it may telescope on said mandrel without interference therefrom.

6. In a power-operated combination dispenser and applicator for dispensing split external retaining rings and applying them to grooved shafts, pins and the like, the combination of stackrod support means, a stackrod supported on said means and operative to mount a plurality of the retaining rings to be dispensed in a column movable towards the lower end of the stackrod, a ring-column supporting table disposed below and spaced from the lower end of the stackrod a distance corresponding substantially to the axial thickness of one of said rings, a slide operative in the space between the stack rod and table, said slide and table each having a ring drop-through opening, means for maintaining the slide in a normal retracted position in which its opening directly underlies the stackrod whereby it is adapted to receive the lowermost ring of the column thereof, the table opening being offset laterally from said stackrod slide opening, a frusto-conical ring-spreading mandrel disposed at a lower level than and to a side of said stackrod and table, an inclined ring chute extending between the table and mandrel and having its upper end disposed to receive a ring falling through the table opening and its lower end related to the mandrel so as to guide said ring on to the upper end thereof, a reciprocatory hollow plunger coaxial with said mandrel and adapted to telescope thereover, thereby on its working stroke to push a ring received on the upper end of the mandrel axially therealong, and power means for actuating the slide to and from a position in which its opening registers with the drop-through opening of the table and for reciprocating said plunger in timed relation to such slide movement as effects spreading of the ring which has dropped through said slide and table openings.

7. A powered combination dispenser and applicator as set forth in claim 6, wherein said power means includes an air cylinder disposed above and operatively connected to said plunger, and a mechanical connection between the plunger and the slide for actuating the slide as aforesaid responsive to the return stroke of the plunger.

8. A powered combination dispenser and applicator as set forth in claim 7, wherein the mechanical connection comprises a bellcrank lever mounted for rocking movement, the free end of one arm thereof being operatively connected to the slide and the free end of the other arm extending into the path of motion of the plunger.

9. A power-operated combination dispenser and applicator for split external spring rings comprising, in combination, a vertical frame member, a horizontal table member mounted thereon, a generally upright stackrod affixed to the frame member above the table member, a ring slideway provided on and extending across the top of the table member beneath the stackrod, the lower end of the stackrod being spaced above said slideway a distance approximating the axial thickness of one ring of a column of such rings mounted on the stack rod, a slide mounted for reciprocatory movement in said slideway and operative on its working stroke to push the lowermost ring of the column thereof disposed on the stackrod in sideward direction along the slideway, power means operatively mounted on the frame member above the table member in generally parallel relation to the stackrod, a tubular plunger coaxial with and reciprocable by said power means in a path traversing that of ring movement, a ring-spreading mandrel disposed below the slideway and in coaxial alignment with said plunger and thereby in position to be telescoped by said plunger when the latter moves on its downward stroke, ring-chute means extending between the slideway and the upper end of the spreading mandrel, and means depending on plunger travel in upward direction for actuating the slide throughout its working stroke thereby to effect transfer of said lowermost ring to the upper end of the spreading mandrel via said chute means and on plunger travel in return direction for spreading said ring by forcing it downwardly along the length of said mandrel.

10. A power-operated dispenser and applicator as defined in claim 9, wherein said table member is provided with a drop-through opening leading to said chute means, and said slide is operative during its working stroke to push said lowermost ring to a position above said chute means whereby it may drop by gravity thereonto.

11. A power-operated dispenser and applicator as defined in claim 9, wherein said slide and said table member are each provided with a drop-through opening, the

slide opening normally underlying the stackrod and the table-member opening being offset laterally from the .stackrod in the direction of said chute means and overlying the ring-receiving end of the chute means, the construction and arrangement being such that the lowermost ring of the ring column is normally received in the slide opening but is pushed into alignment with the table-member opening, through which it drops to the chute means, during the course of travel of said slide throughout its working stroke as aforesaid.

12. A power-operated dispenser and applicator as defined in claim 11, wherein the table-member opening is offset from the slide opening a limited distance such as to expose only that portion of the table slideway which extends as a ledge about said table-member opening and wherein the ring column is normally supported on said ledge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,978,801 Erdmann Apr. 11, 1961 2,978,802 Erdmann Apr. 11, 1961 3,040,419 Erdmann June 26, 1962 3,101,528 Erdmann Aug. 27, 1963 

1. A POWER-OPERATED COMBINATION DISPENSER AND APPLICATOR FOR SPLIT-EXTERNAL RETAINING RINGS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, STACKROD SUPPORTING MEANS, A STACKROD AFFIXED TO SAID MEANS INCLUDING RING-ORIENTING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A PLURALITY OF THE RETAINING RINGS TO BE DISPENSED IN ACCURATELY ORIENTED AND COLUMN-FORMING RELATIONSHIP, A RECIPROCABLE SLIDE DISPOSED IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE STACKROD AND HAVING A RING-RECEIVING OPENING FOR THE ENDMOST RING OF THE COLUMN WHICH IN THE REST POSITION OF THE SLIDE IS ALIGNED WITH THE STOCKROD THEREBY TO RECEIVE THE LOWERMOST RING OF THE COLUMN, A SUPPORTING TABLE FOR THE SLIDE HAVING A RING DROP-THROUGH OPENING THEREIN WHICH IS OFFSET LATERALLY FROM THE STACKROD AN AMOUNT SUCH THAT THE TABLE SURFACE EXTENDING ABOUT SAID OPENING AND WHICH IS EXPOSED BY THE SLIDE OPENING NORMALLY SUPPORTS THE ENDMOST RING AND THEREBY ALL RINGS OF THE COLUMN ABOVE SAME, A RING-SPREADING MANDREL OPERATIVE TO SPREAD A RING RECEIVED THEREON TO A DIAMETER SUCH THAT IT MAY BE SHIFTED OVER THE END OF A GROOVED SHAFT FOR ASSEMBLY THERETO IN RESPONSE TO SAID RING BEING MOVED AXIALLY ALONG THE MANDREL, CHUTE MEANS OPERATIVELY RELATED TO AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTING TABLE AND SAID MANDREL FOR CONVEYING A RING DROPPING THROUGH SAID DROP-THROUGH OPENING TO SAID MANDREL, AND POWER-OPERATED MEANS FOR EFFECTING POSITIVE CONTROLLED MOVEMENT OF THE SLIDE TO AND FROM A POSITION IN WHICH IT DISPOSES ITS OPENING DIRECTLY OVER SAID DROP-THROUGH OPENING. 